A two-day criminal enforcement detail led by Louisiana State Police resulted in the arrest of 38 individuals from throughout Central Louisiana. State troopers, working in conjunction with numerous other law enforcement agencies, conducted a criminal enforcement detail Thursday and Friday in Avoyelles, LaSalle, Rapides, and Winn parishes. The objective was "to serve fugitive warrants and apprehend individuals engaged in criminal activity." Along with the 38 individuals arrested, law enforcement officers also seized various illegal drugs, several firearms, and currency.

In Avoyelles parish authorities are looking for 21 year old Justin Molbert of Opelousas. The APSO says Molbert is a suspect involved in a shooting incident that occurred in the Dupont community. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Justin Molbert for two counts of attempted second-degree murder. Molbert is considered armed and dangerous; anyone with information about Molbert’s current whereabouts is asked to call the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office.

18 year old Tykarius Lanehart accepted a plea deal Monday in the Rapides Parish Courthouse, pleading guilty to the lesser charge of negligent homicide for the July 2017 death of 17 year old Edward Brown. Lanehart was initially charged with second-degree murder by the Alexandria Police Department, a grand jury indicted him on a manslaughter charge, and his plea was for negligent homicide. Judge Greg Beard sentenced Lanehart to serve five years at hard labor for the crime with credit for time served.

After a month on the lamb, 20 year old Preston Cason of Ville Platte is now in the clink, charged with theft and arson. Cason had several outstanding warrants from various parishes, but it was the July 15th theft of a pickup truck, and subsequent torching of the vehicle that put him on the radar of the State Fire Marshal.

A family lawyer says the Twenty-five million dollars being sought by the Gruver family in the case related to his alleged hazing death is there to send a warning to other academic institutions about the need to take hazing seriously. While one of the Gruver family’s attorneys Don Cazayoux says the no amount of money will bring back their loved one, the price tag is more about sending a message to all involved in the incident in hopes that it puts a stop to hazing culture.

Gov. John Bel Edwards praised a report showing that the number of residents who are uninsured has fallen to half of what it was in 2015, according to the 2017 Louisiana Health Insurance Survey. Edwards says Louisiana has not seen the closure of rural hospitals, unlike other states who did not expand Medicaid, which he says adds to the reassurance his decision was a good one.

The number of adults in Louisiana without health insurance has dropped dramatically since the state expanded Medicaid two years ago, a new report has found. The Louisiana Health Insurance Survey released Monday found 11.4 percent of non-elderly adults in the state did not have health insurance in 2017, down from 22.7 percent uninsured in 2015. Under Medicaid expansion, which took effect July 2016 by Gov. John Bel Edwards' executive order, more than 473,900 non-elderly adults have received health care coverage.

A student walking on LSU's campus was hit by a vehicle Monday morning on the university's first day of classes for the fall semester. The pedestrian was injured on AgCenter Lane near the 4H Mini Barn after stepping out into the path of the vehicle The student was transported to a local hospital with moderate to severe injuries. Authorities say speed nor impairment was a factor in the crash.

The Iraqi government has agreed to purchase 15,000 tons of American rice in a deal that should relieve some pressure on Louisiana rice growers who are feeling the burn from an escalating trade war with China, and other nations. The Bayou State is one of the top US rice producers at about 1.35 million tons.

In October the Lafayette Public Library will play host to a few drag queens who will be reading stories to kids about the importance of accepting classmates and their families who may come from non-traditional households. Its Drag Queen Story time, and it’s rolling into town October 6th.

Endangered whooping cranes have successfully hatched five new chicks in southwest Louisiana. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says the five chicks are the most to hatch in one year and marks a major milestone for the whooping crane reintroduction project that’s bringing the native birds back to life in the bayou.

The woman accusing LSU Junior Wide Receiver Drake Davis of months of abuse is changing her statement to authorities. East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore says this is not an uncommon occurrence with these types of accusations. Davis is suspended indefinitely from the team as a result of his arrest last week. Moore says the victim has not recanted her statement.

Sports..

The Tiger’s just barely squeaked in under the bar for the AP Top 25 preseason poll, coming in at… 25. They’re the 5th highest ranked SEC team in the poll, coming in behind Bama at 1, Georgia at 3, Auburn at 9, and Mississippi State at 18. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says it’s been a gradual fall from grace for LSU over the past few years. They’re set to play number 8 Miami for the season opener September 2nd